Lent Devotional April 2, 2025

Scripture

Psalm 5

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
2 Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil will not sojourn with you.
5 The boastful will not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house,
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in awe of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.
9 For there is no truth in their mouths;
their hearts are destruction;
their throats are open graves;
they flatter with their tongues.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of their many transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.
11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
so that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover them with favor as with a shield.

Devotion

The Rev. Dave Dack ’11

Waiting feels like a waste of time. I suspect that’s why we’re bad at it.

Airports have discovered it’s no good reducing baggage wait times. People still complain. But if the airport can make it so people spend more of that time walking to the claim area than standing around the carousel, the complaints stop, even if the total wait time stays the same. People don’t mind as long as they’re moving, as long as they don’t feel like they’re wasting their time.

In verse 3, David shares his morning routine: “I plead my case to you and watch” (other translations say, “wait expectantly”). Hardly the best use of his time, we might say, especially considering the threat of bloodthirsty enemies. Prayer, yes, but watching and waiting? Isn’t that a waste of time?

Unless David knows something we don’t—or that we’ve forgotten. Ironically, our obsession with productivity has blinded us to the holiness God produces in us while we wait. Waiting on God makes us watchful. It keeps us attentive to the presence of God here and now, making every step righteous, every moment holy. Suddenly, our long walk becomes not only bearable, but blessed.

Isn’t that what we’re really after, to live every day in God’s blessed company? Even with David’s enemies still on the loose, he found refuge in God’s house and rejoiced in God’s righteousness. It was precisely in the waiting that he encountered God. Waiting for God to answer our prayers is its own spiritual discipline. It can transform any trial into a temple of worship.

Waiting on God is never a waste of your time; it is the holiest purpose your life could have. You could spend your whole life waiting on God, and it would not be a wasted life.

Prayer

Gracious God, listen to our prayers for help. To you we plead our sad case and that of this broken world, wondering how long your salvation will take. Make holy our waiting with the joy of your presence, that we would never tire of seeking your Kingdom. Through Christ, Amen.

ABOUT PITTSBURGH THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Rooted in the Reformed tradition, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary is committed to the formation of students for theologically reflective ministry and to scholarship in service to the global Church of Jesus Christ.

Become a Hybrid Student

PTS Neighborhood Collaborative Resource Programs

Faculty

In addition to their on-campus duties, our faculty are experts in their fields and are available to preach and teach. Learn more about their topics of research and writing and invite them to present at your congregation or gathering.

Events

The Seminary hosts a wide range of events—many of them free!—on topics of faith including church planting, mission, vocation, spiritual formation, pastoral care and counseling, archaeology, and many more. Visit our calendar often for a listing of upcoming events.

Visit PTS

Interested in the Seminary? Come visit us!

Stay in Touch with PTS

Sign-up to receive the Seminary's newsletters: Seminary News (monthly), Center for Adaptive and Innovative Ministry, Continuing Education, Faith Forming Families Network, Kelso Museum, Metro-Urban Institute, Miller Summer Youth Institute, and World Mission Initiative. Alums, there's also one for you!